'Human Terrain' Contractor Guilty of Manslaughter (Updated)

Ayala was facing a possible life sentence in prison, after being charged with second degree murder for an alleged revenge killing in southern Afghanistan. Under the terms of his plea agreement, announced today by the U.S. Attorney's office in Alexandria, Virginia, Ayala could still spend up to 15 years behind bars.

But in a warzone, violence is never far off. Human Terrain teams became involved in several lethal incidents. The latest occurred on Nov. 4, when Ayala was on a foot patrol in the village of Chehel Gazni, with teammate Paula Loyd, a social scientist. She approached Abdul Salam, who was carrying a fuel jug. Suddenly, the man doused Lloyd in a flammable liquid and set her on fire. She suffered second- and third-degree burns over 60percent of her body.

Ayala chased Salam down, tackled him to the ground, and restrained him with plastic cuffs. "After about 10 minutes," according to an Army CriminalInvestigation Division affidavit, "a soldier approached the location where Ayala had Salam detained and informed the personnel in the area that Loyd was burned badly. Ayala pushed his pistol againstSalam's head and shot Salam, killing him instantly."